Blackwell said crime in Cincinnati involves turf wars between rival gangs and he wants to get a handle on it.

Part of Blackwell’s plan is to invest in young people.

“Gang members affirm them and teach them how to be violent,” Blackwell said. “We have to reach out to the young people before the gangs reach out to them.”

One way Blackwell and his officers are reaching out to teens is by a new program called Hoops, Heart, Hope, or H-3.

“As it gets warmer, we want to be ready for what the warm weather will bring us in Cincinnati. We want to have our youth platform strong and engaged and have our initiatives with the CIRV (Community Initiative to Reduce Violence) model and other anti-violence models ready to go,” Blackwell said.

H-3 develops leadership and life skills with basketball as the hook, Blackwell said.

The program will also allow teens to see police in a non-enforcement role.

“The goal is to collaborate with youth to get to know them better and for them to get to know us,” Blackwell said.

He’s also been holding town hall meetings to promote other parts of his youth-engagement program.

City Camp distills discipline in at-risk teens.

Blackwell also wants to jump start the Police Athletic League and redevelop gang-resistance education. His officers will be working with fifth- and sixth-graders on the goals.

“The level of violent street crime, while it doesn't surprise me, it definitely concerns me,” Blackwell said. “There are some predators out there that we are going to deal with we have some really high profile young people that are killers that are carrying guns that are terrorizing communities and we're going to come after those kids as well.”

Blackwell maintains that he is tough on crime. He admits his job is challenging but that he has a responsibility to the community.

POLICE CHIEF JEFFREY BLACKWELL. HE WAS ON THE SCENE OF THAT SHOOTING FRIDAY AFTERNOON. WLWT NEWS 5'S COURTIS FULLER SHOWS US HOW THE CHIEF,,, IS TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR OUR YOUTH... (Courtis Fuller/WLWT News 5: Examine the crime problem here in Cincinnati.. police will tell you .. some of it involves turf wars and gang violence. Chief Jeffrey Blackwell wants to get a handle on that problem and reduce it. Part of his solution is to invest in young people and fight crime at the same time) (Chief Jeffrey Blackwell/Cincinnati Police: gang members affirm them and teach them how to be violent) (Chief Jeffrey Blackwell/Cincinnati Police: we have to reach out to the young people before the gangs reach out to them) (Chief Jeffrey Blackwell/Cincinnati Police: And as it gets warmer we want to be ready for what the warm weather will bring us in Cincinnati we want to have our youth platform strong and engaged and have our initiatives with the cirv model and other anti violence models ready to go) ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT ROLLED OUT RECENTLY IS WHAT IS CALLED HOOPS HEART HOPE.. BETTER KNOWN AS H-3 CINCINNATI IT'S MUCH MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE (Chief Jeffrey Blackwell/Cincinnati Police: leadership development life skill training program with basketball just as the hook) IN TWO AND A HALF MONTHS OF WEEKLY SESSIONS THE CHIEF SAYS THE YOUNG PEOPLE WILL HAVE CLASSES THAT TEACH LIFE SKILLS AND THEY'LL SEE POLICE IN A NON ENFORCEMENT CAPACITY.. (Chief Jeffrey Blackwell/Cincinnati Police: the goal is to collaborate with youth to get to know them better and for them to get to know us) CHIEF BLACKWELL HAS BEEN HOLDING TOWN HALL MEETINGS --- PROMOTING OTHER PARTS OF HIS YOUTH ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM.. LIKE CITY CAMP THAT INSTILLS DISCIPLINE IN AT RISK YOUTH HE WANTS TO JUMPSTART THE POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE HE WANTS TO REDEVLOP A GANG RESISTENCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM .. POLICE WILL BE TEACHING THAT TO 5TH AND 6TH GRADERS NEXT YEAR AND FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT THINK THE CHIEF IS SOFT ON CRIME.THINK AGAIN. (Chief Jeffrey Blackwell/Cincinnati Police: The level of violent street crime while it doesn't surprise me it definitely concerns me) (Chief Jeffrey Blackwell/Cincinnati Police: There are some predators out there that we are going to deal with we have some really high profile young people that are killers that are carrying guns that are terrorizing communities and we're going to come after those kids as well) (Courtis Fuller/WLWT News 5: The chief says he'll be tough on crime but smart about it. He admits it will be very challenging but he says as a city we have a responsibility. His goal is straight forward.. if he's able to save one young people its worthwhileI'm courtis fuller wlwt news five) THE CHIEF SAID HE'S TRYING TO BUILD TRUST BETWEEN KIDS AND HIS MEN AND WOMEN ON THE FORCE. HE'S SAY THEY ARE DOING A GOOD JOB BUT IT'S A NEVER ENDING BATTLE TO GAIN THAT TRUST AND THEN KEEP IT.